The inside scoop on food in Los Angeles

Blue Cow opens in downtown Monday

February 9, 2012 | 12:47
pm

Blue Cow opens its doors Monday in downtown Los Angeles. The restaurant is a partnership between Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen of Mendocino Farms, which pays homage to the sandwich. They envision the shop to be a good neighborhood restaurant: "We are doing creative sandwiches for people who appreciate that," Del Pero said. The restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and cocktails.

Chef Joshua Smith, together with corporate executive chef Judy Han and the owners, have devised a menu with dishes that they classify as "new American." Diners will find the classic chicken sandwich reinterpreted as the Spanish chicken tartine with piquillo peppers, romesco and aged Manchego cheese. The tandoori turkey club is the next generation of the turkey club made with Indian spiced char-grilled turkey breast, housemade naan and candied jalapenos. Other menu highlights include the roots and berries salad with shaved beets, roasted carrots, cranberries and wheatberries; housemade sausages (turkey and lamb) in a buttermilk roll; and ploughman's platter made with a selection of sausages, deviled eggs, pimento cheese toast and more.

In addition to an extensive menu, Blue Cow has a full service bar featuring specialty cocktails, housemade sodas, and a "hopefully intriguing beer list." The cocktails have quirky names like "Jack and Coke's cousin on his dad's side" consisting of housemade winter cola and Old Forrester whiskey or the "gin and tonic experiment" made with orange, cucumber, black peppercorn and red pepper. The bar also has a praline-infused "old-fashioned" on tap.